Don’t Forget to Put Your Name on the Resume
I recently visited a friend in Chicago who is at the point in growing her one-woman business that she needs help. Her biz is in a creative field and she’s fortunate to be in a city with multiple art/creative schools. Hiring an intern from one of these places seemed like an ideal solution; she gets a creative, enthusiastic “employee” and the student gets to learn the biz. Win, win, right? Well…until she placed the ad.
The ad stated very clear parameters – the experience preferred, general duties, hours/days, send a resume, etc. In a very short time, she had sixty responses. While she was able to cull some very favorable prospects from the group, there were some surprising clunkers. One person even forgot to put their name on the resume. Duh-oh.
Now many of these folks are students at some of the most prestigious, well-respected art schools in the country and I’m sure the raw talent is mind-blowing. But do these schools/programs teach basic biz skills, like how to respond to a professional job ad? I wonder.
Many fields typically utilize internship programs – medicine, law, finance, allied health, etc. and have clearly-defined expectations. I was a social work intern and later an adjunct prof. supervising interns. Both were great experiences, but I had also worked in the corporate world in a previous life and had a biz skill-set, which was a definite advantage.
In my friend’s situation, quite a few of the ad respondents blew her off, even after she had contacted them to set up an interview. I was amazed that they could treat such a unique opportunity so lightly! Fortunately, she was able to find an ideal candidate who will be a perfect fit.
Here are a few suggestions she has for internship candidates:
· Read the ad carefully. If you don’t fit the criteria listed, don’t waste your time or theirs by applying.
· If you are sending your resume as an attachment, be sure to identify the file with your name. The potential employer shouldn’t have to hunt threw multiple files labeled “Resume.”
· This seems like a no-brainer to me, but leave contact info/numbers where you can be easily reached AND then check your v.m. and email.
If you’ve had experiences either as an intern or supervised them, please tell me about it. I’d like to do a follow-up post.
This is a guest post by Nancy LaFever. You can read more from her at the Centre for Emotional Wellbeing blog.
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